When the movie of the moment is the top-grossing film of all time, and when the U.S. and much of the world is emerging from a deep recession, Hollywood's finest will step out on the red carpet dressed to thrill without restraint.

One statement at the Academy Awards on Sunday night was the Avatar blue dress, worn with panache and robust gardenias in her hair by Mo'Nique and by Gabourey Sidibe of Precious, as well as by director James Cameron's wife, Suzy Amis.

But that was tame. Among those making their mark on the red carpet with varying degrees of success and silliness were Vera Farmiga of Up in the Air in a magenta ruffled confection that was bold, beautiful and a little bit like a slinky clown costume. Meanwhile, Zoe Saldana, of the Avatar cast, seemed to have three dresses thrown at her all at once by Givenchy haute couture, no less, consisting of a beautiful crystal bustier with a lavender satin skirt that gave way to acres of crepe paper-ish ruffles in a classic case of the dress wearing the actor.

Amanda Seyfried made the most spectacular entrance of all in a silver ice-goddess gown with sculpted bodice, fashion-forward and fairy princess at the same time.

There will lots of giggling in the week to come at Charlize Theron, whose Dior gown had rosettes on the breasts bordering on the burlesque.

The red carpet was awash in colour -- red, chartreuse, butter yellow, blush -- but metallics emerged as the trend du soir, with a contingent of leading ladies shimmering softly in silver, champagne and gold.

As for Jennifer Lopez, she donned silvery pink Armani Privz with a dramatic hip treatment that should have merited two seats.

"It has to have kind of that wow factor,'' Lopez said of choosing an Oscar gown.

Indeed.

The antidote to all that fairy princess business was Carey Mulligan, who gave us an education in modern dressing in a strapless mullet Prada dress. At first glance, it was just another jewelled gown, but in fact the dress was embellished with tiny scissors and perhaps knives as well as a few florals, short in the front, long in the back. The shorter front was apparently a nod to Vogue editor Anna Wintour, who advised the ingenue actress to wear a short frock.

That's not how she imagined Oscar night, Mulligan was said to reply. Red has been a strong statement on the red carpet for several years now, and last night was no exception, with Sigourney Weaver in draped, one-shoulder Lanvin fastened with a huge brooch, pregnant Paula Patton in very sophisticated off-shoulder Carolina Herrera, and CTV's Tanya Kim rocking a frock by Montreal's Andy The-Anh.

Two Chanel notes: Sarah Jessica Parker in a butter yellow mumu, and an uncomfortable take on choker in a band of fabric on her neck.

(We prefer the Fred Leighton statement jewels, really.) Diane Kruger, on the other hand, was magnificent in a black and white ruffled gown that was classic Chanel.

The men were classic, by and large, with bow ties squared off almost evenly against skinny ties. Zac Efron, with skinny tie and much hair gel, meet Tom Ford, designer, director and style icon.

Montreal Gazette

efriede@thegazette.canwest.com

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